Means for effecting escape of occupants from sunken vessels.



PATENTED JAN.14, 1908.

I). A. DEMPSTER. MEANS FOR EPPECTING ESCAPE O P OGOUPANTS FROM SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1907.

2 BHEETB-SKEET 1 Z 7 m 5 0 %w/ 5 I W u ll J II! l ,4 x K Z Z Z2 7/ G 5 4 r WITNESSES.

No. 876,777. PATENTED JAN.,14, 1908.

D. A. DEMPSTBR.

MEANS FOR EFFEOTING ESCAPE OF OGOUPANTS PROM SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNElZ, 1907.

" 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wA. m Q Mi! 4 i [31 m fQau K DON ACKElt DEMPSTER, 6F LOSANGELES, GALIFORNIA.

meme FGR EFFECTING- EfiCAPE 0Z3 OGCUZEAN'I'S FHQM' some YE$3SEL$.

No. event/7.

To aZZ whom-ii may concer;

Be it known that I, Don Annn DEMPSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, new and useful Irn rovements in Means for Efl'ecting Escape 0 Uccupents from Sunlien Vessels, of which the following is e specificstion.

My invention relates to means for effecting escape of occupants from sunken submarine hosts and particularly contemplates the provision of. a vessel normally carried by the host, with novel means for receiving occupants therein from the said host and for releasing the some from said host when it is desired. I

My invention contemplates further the provision of an improved means of escapemcnt comprising a buoy shaped vessel constructed to be released from s sunken boat and to rise to the surface of the water, and to be so connected within the boat as to form a conning tower when associated therewith.

My invention further contemplates the provision of novel means, in connection with the escepcment vessel, for druwing, the some downward after its ascension to the surface of the water, to s cin lock the some in its normal position Within the sunken boot, without allowing, the outside water entering the said boat.

My invention further resides specifically in the following lectures of construction, orranqemcnt end opcrution which will be hereinn tor described with reference to the occomponyiug drawings in which like numercls are used to designate like ports and in which,

Figure 1 is an elevntionol' u submarine hoot showing my iniprovezmmts attached thereto, Fig. 2 is e vertical sectional view 01 my im proved QSPHPCIHOHL vessel, the portion of thc oost designed to receive the some and their associated mechanisms, 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the lower portion o'l my improved cscii cmcnt vessel, Fig. i-

a similar view throug the lower portion of the socket formed within the host for the reception of tho cscnpement vessel, Fig. is it horizontal scctioncl view on the line 5- 5 oi Fig. 2, end Fig. 6 is s dcleil sectional view oi parts to be herein efter specifically referred to.

In the practical embodiment oi my invention I provide a submarine boat or the like, 1

Specification of Blotters Z-atent.

Application no M1612. 1007. Serial in: 378.616.

have invented certain Patented 52m. 1 l, ii. 908.

o W1th a socket portion or container 2 built.

therein end forming an inwardly extending conical shell having circumferential strips 3 arranged upon its surface exposed to the water outside the host 1. The socket 2 is provided with an annular costing 4 at the ower reducedend thereof, to which casting is rigidly secured a downwardly extending. annular socket 5 having guir es 6 extending downwardly therefrom and forming guides for n sliding gate 7, ssid guides 6 having portions 8 extending horizontally therefrom. The ennulsr socket 5 is arranged to receive slidsbly therein a circular internally threaded ring nut 9 normally pressed upwardly Within said socket by means of the coil springs 10 crrenged therein, and further provided with an annular flange ll arranged beneath the inwardly extending edge of the casting 4 to prevent entire removal of said nut 9.

The esospemcnt vessel com rises an inverted cone shaped sheet mete structure 12 arranged to fit Within the socket or container 2 and having a portion extending upwardly and cxteriorly therefrom provided with windows 13. Thus the vessel 12 may be used as n connirng tower when connected within the boat l as shown in Fig. 2. The vessel 12 is )rovidcd interiorly with u plurality of ln'occ hesn'is 14 extending longitudinally thereof, and with an exit opening 15 normally closed by n cap 155 having an inwardly bent circumferential edge to he bolted. edjnccnt said exit opening 15, intcriorly of the vessel 12. The vessel 12 is Further provided centrally with an annular uir chamber 1 7 hnvingu removable screw plug 18 for the admission or emission of sir, and with n vslvc lJ communicoting therein through the casing of the vessel 12 for the ndmission of" water when said vessel is at the surface and preparatory to drawing the some downwardly \Vllllll] the bout. The vessel 12 is further provided zit its lower reduced cud with s circular casting: .20, terminating upon its inner cii'ruml'crcntiol edge in on upwardly extending: flange 2l. Mounted therein to rototc about the llungc Bl is an upwerdlyextcnding ring 22 to which is rigidly "ccured n circimd'crcnlinl posting 23 roleli'voly arranged within the ilnngc 2| and luiv ing the cxtci'iorly threaded screw portion 24 integral therewith. 'lhc screw 34 is adapted to be screwed within the threaded nut l) by suitable moons within the vessel 12 ashoreiinel'ter described, and inasmuch as it ready engagement between said nut 9 and said screw portion 24. could not be had should the entire turret 12 be revolved with said nut S). 1 provide a threaded rod arranged through the casing of said turret and adapted to be screwed outwardly from within said turret to engage one of the circular strips 3 extending from the surface of the socket 2 to prevent rotation of said turret 13. To rapidly rotate the screw 24 I provide the annular ring 2 with a toothed portion 26 engaged by a spur wheel 27 rotativcly supported within. the casting 20, which spur wheel receives its rotatipn from a bevel gear 28 arranged at the lower end of the slanting shaft 29 extending upwardly and arranged in suitable bearings upon the inner surface of the casing of the vessel 12. The shaft 29 is providedwith a similar bevel gear 30 at its upper end arranged with and rotated by the gear wheel 3i at the lower end of a vertical. shaft 32 mounted in bearings upon the cats ing ofthe air chamber 37 and rotated by means of a hand wheel 33 through the me.

dium of bevel gears 34.

Tightly bolted upon the upper portions of the casting 22% and the-ring 22 is a watertight 'cover 35 having an eye-bolt 36 swiveled in bearings at its lower face, from which extends a cable or the like 37 wound about a drum. 38, mounted upon a rotatable shaft 39 within a water tight chamber 40. The chamber 40 is mounted upon the lower face of the sliding gate 7, the cable 37 being arranged through an opening 41 in said gatc,'sa1id gate being slidably arranged within the guide 6,

as previously described, beneath and adapted to enter and tightly close the circular opening inside the socket 5 carrying the nut 9. Said gate 7 is preferably slightly beveled to more readily form a water tight joint and is moved within said guide 6 and the extend ing portions 8 by means of a threaded shaft 42 operated by hand wheel 43, and threadedly arranged through a bearing 44: extending from one of the portions 8 of the guides 6, the forward end of said shaft 42 being longitudinally immovably secured within a socket 45 interiorly arranged with 131111111 46 of the sliding gate 7.

The operation of the device I will now describe from the position of the device shown in Fig. 2. The sliding gate 7 being partially removed from under the opening. From. this position the hand Wheel 43 will be operated until said gate 7 is moved rearwardly to allow the person to climb through the opening within the socket portion 5 and the screw portion 24, it being understood that when the cover 35 is open, the person or persons desiring to ascend to the surface from the boat I will then. climb within the vessel 12 and securely bolt the cover 35 in position, while the persons remaining within the boat 1 will again operate the hand Wheel 43 to tightly reclose the sliding gate 7. When this has been done the personwithin the vessel 12 will then operate the hand wheel 33, transmitting rotation thereby to the ring and screw portion 34- and unscrewing the same from the nut 9. The vessel '12 will then immediately rise to the surface of the water by virtue of its buoyancy maintained by the air cliai nber 17, and when at the surface the per son or persons will escape by means of the opening 15 if they so desire. the ascension to the surface is only temporary and theperson or persons wish to again descend the cover 16 is againbolted in position. from the inside and the vessel 12 drawn downwardly within the socket 2 after the air chamber 17 has been exhausted by means of the removable plug 18 and'fillcd with water by means of the valve 19. To draw the vessel l2 downwardly from the surface it is nee essary to couple a rotating portion of the driving apparatus of the boat 1 to a pulley or the like mounted on a shaft 39 to rotate the the vessel 12 when entering the socket 2 be ing secured therein by means of the screw/12 i and the nut 9 as previously described by op erating the hand Wheel 33. it will be seen that the space within the screw 24 and the socket 5 will receive a certain amount of water when the vessel is secured within the socket, but this water may be allowed to drain through the opening 41 into the chamber 40 from where it may be drawn oili by .means of a cock 48. I

The vessel 12 may for convenience be further provided with a permanent grating platform 19 upon which the occupants may stand. Said grating however being provided with a removable section large enough to enablc the cover 35 to be lifted and the occupants to enter the vessel.

Having thus described my invention, I claim, I

1. In combination with a submarine boat a turret adapted to contain. the occupants of the boat, a conning tower superposed on said turret, said turret having a threaded portion threaded socket of said boat when said turret is held from movement, one of said threaded portions being slidably mounted to move toward and away from the other of said threaded portions and means for rotating the other of said threaded portions, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the'charactcr described, the combination with a submarine boat having a socket portion built therein, of a roleas able vessel arranged. therein having a threaded portion for engagement with a correspondingly threaded portion of said socket when said vessel is immovably held tl'ierein, one of i said threaded portions being slidably mounted to move toward and away from the other for engagement with a correspondinglyif, however, I

drum 38 and wind the cable 37 thereupon,

eve??? saidthrcadodlporti 11s and means for rothe other of v d threaded portions, i). initially as described.

3. in cevice of the character described, (to (-1 ivlotion with a submarine boot heviorly ionized entrance and exit openending g ate mounted beiowseid socket i. opening therethrough, taehed to said voted and. extending id g ter-tight chamber se- .ed upon said an;

31 and means for operating said cebie w said vessei within said socket, sub- 'iiiy described.

.111 combination with a submarine hoe-t, iret adapted to contzin the occupants of turret tearing a threaded pornt Wi i a correspondingly 2- id boot when said turret ent therein, meensior t nnniovsbiy therein, one portions being siidebiy card and ewey from the eiow the opening thero- I oconmng tower supe' JOSBd. on said 4 other of said threaded ortions and moms for rotating the other of said threaded por tions, substantially as described.

5. in combination with a submarine boat having a socket portion built therein, a turret adapted to contain. the occupants of the host, said turret being constructed to engage within said socket portion and having e portion thereof projecting beyond the surface of said boat to form a conning tower, said turret having a threaded portion for engagement with a correspondingly threaded ortion of said socket when said turret is laid from movement therein, means for holding said turret from movement Within. said. socket, one of said threaded portions being-siidebly mounted to move toward and away from the other of said threaded ortions and means for rotating the other 0 said threaded portions, substantiaiiy as described.

In testimony whereof I etiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

DON DEMPSTER.

Witnesses:

(J. L. Pnnnnn,

it anon u. CLEAR. 

